Part One: The Wool Edit
I’ve been so excited to write this blog and by the time I post, there will also be a YouTube show and tell video too.
Here I confess to the 8kg of wool I brought back from Norway and take a tour through the different brands. I am already planning another video and blog where I will share with you what wool shopping is like in Norway. For now, here is what I brought home, in addition to Ravelry links, in case you like the patterns too!
I went with printed pictures and the amount of yarn and weight I needed. This was a great idea as my purchases will not be wasted and I could make better choices of what colours to put together and what texture wool/yarn to buy.
Oslo
As I’ve never used Norwegian wool before, the purpose of my trip was to purchase Norwegian or Norwegian produced wool. Somehow, in the excitement, I ended up purchasing Peruvian, but it is so soft and I love the colours. I have decided to do a neutral version of the ‘Favorittgenseren‘ jumper from the book Norwegian Knitting Designs: 90 Years Later.
The wool is Vilja by Filcolana and I just love the neatly wound skeins. Very easy to pack in a suitcase!
In Strikkedilla, located in a shopping centre (to save you going around in circles with Google maps), I bought this 6ply sock yarn in a lovely green colour. There isn’t a great choice of 6ply weight sock yarn in the UK, so I was eager to bring this back with me. Then, I purchased a sock yarn kit. The pattern is in Norwegian, however, the colour work is under the cuff, so if I know how many stitches to cast on, then I’ll be able to follow the chart and manage. I think!
It was certainly a busy few hours after landing in Oslo! I visited Husfliden (also in a shopping centre!) and enjoyed myself a little too much in there.
First up, I had some help picking the colour for this marled HILLESVÅG wool from an American lady shopping, who then ended up being on our trip (that’s you, Carol!). It’s beautiful, however, I got the wrong weight so had to come up with something else to make with it. In Bergen I spotted a scrumptious jumper sampler by Petite Knit, so I think I’ll be making that. Phew.
Also from Oslo Husfliden, is this lovely yellow yarn. I have been dying to wear yellow, but struggle to with being pasty and blonde, so I have in mind the Astridkoften cardigan from Norwegian Knitting: 90 Years Later book. Yellow for the main, with lilac detailing and cream lice to break up the yellow.
This is wool ‘Sterk’ by the brand Du Store Alpakka. I may as well have gone to Peru at this rate. I love this wool, however, and would purchase it again on another trip. My picture isn’t great as the wool is very flat from being squashed in and out of my case.
Bergen
Bergen was a “stick a fork in me-I’m done” kind of place. First up is the HILLESVÅG factory. I must stay on task and tell you what I bought: I will share the factory in another blog and video. It’s hard to when this is just a little snapshot of one corner…
Fully outing myself here, I got the wool for four jumpers, and some sock wool too. But, as I say, I have projects in mind so none to waste.
The Arne and Carlos Redd Barna jumper in a red top half and light grey bottom half. Time will tell if I should have got enough for the next size up.
This is a jumper I have already made in ‘Luna’ yarn. I haven’t seen sage green wool before so this really captured my heart and I love wearing it. I made the Linnea Pullover from the Nordic Knitting Primer. I have a review of this book on my YouTube.
Now, I’ve had a cobalt blue phase and I still get lured in by this beautifully striking colour. I’ll be making the equally striking Tröjan Barbros stjärnor jumper (who else is thinking about colours running!?).
Oh my, the list goes on! I love the design, so will be making another Favorittgenseren jumper, this time in the designed greys/monochrome and a striking turquoise. I wonder if the blue is too similar the the green/blue from Oslo? The wool is a completely different texture and make, so hopefully not. I was heavily into the turquoise phase at this point – the only reason I’m not anymore is because I need to introduce colours other than turquoise! There will be loads left over of the monochromes, so I could make another with a different bottom half colour in the future (I’m thinking orange).
I did eventually leave the shop and get back on the coach with my three carrier bags. As the coach moved it started ‘raining wool’ from the overhead storage. A final purchase at the factory is this DK weight sock yarn. Like 6ply, there is a tiny range of DK sock yarn in the UK.
Bergen didn’t end there. Only in Norway could there be a wool shop, in a train station, that opens until late. The last day of any holiday brings the moment of using up foreign cash, so I had to buy some more wool. I got these beauties, which were so affordable, and in lots of colours. So affordable that I gave the lady too much money and I got 200 kroner back in hand! I am going to design a beginner friendly blanket pattern in English cottage colours. With a pop of turquoise, of course.
Ålesund
Another lovely Husfliden shop. Believe it or not, all the wool I got is from about half the shops I visited. It could have been worse! I love the stitch definition of merino wool, so I am going to design a cushion pattern next year for you all. Lovely Glenda helped me pick the complementing neutral colours. Ok, so maybe there are one or two where I don’t have a project in mind.
Lofoten
A final mention is to Lofoten Wool. Ragnhild Lie from the brand came onto our boat and gave a lovely and informative speech. She also brought her helpers…and lots of wool. Their line is that the wool is from ‘Happy Sheep’ and their grazing on salt water infused grass gives their fleece a quality like no other. And this is what I am reminding myself as they were £40 a pop! I would never spend this in the UK, but it was a once in a lifetime holiday and well, don’t tell mother! I obviously chose something I could squeeze into with the least amount of wool. I will be making a tank top of their design. I nearly got a blue shade, however, everyone said the pink complemented me well. This wool is dyed naturally.
I don’t know about you, but I need a cuppa and a bourbon (biscuit) after that whistle stop tour. Getting out my wool, photographing and writing about it has made me smile so much. Once I have made some more YouTube videos, then I can wait to dig in and pass the wintery weekends by.
*of course I’ve found some more yarn I’d forgotten about (more likely, hidden) after making this post!
Take care, Rachel G x
Little Miss Drop Stitch 